tokmeter_backups

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=false already tell the agent this is a safe, non-destructive local read, so the description's main added value is naming the metadata fields returned (date, size, providers, projects). It does not disclose ordering, result limits, or what happens when no backups exist, which is the remaining behavioral gap.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

A single sentence with the verb and resource front-loaded and no filler. Every clause (what is listed, what metadata comes back) carries information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a zero-parameter, read-only listing with no output schema, this is nearly complete: it identifies the object type and summarizes the returned fields. It falls short of 5 because it never says what identifier a backup carries for use with tokmeter_restore, nor how results are ordered or bounded.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool takes zero parameters, so the baseline is 4 and there is nothing for the description to disambiguate. The parenthetical metadata list is return information rather than parameter information, but nothing is missing here.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ("List available cleanup backups") plus the metadata returned (date, size, providers, projects), so an agent knows exactly what it gets. It does not explicitly differentiate itself from tokmeter_restore or tokmeter_cleanup_preview, which would have pushed this to a 5.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is only implied: "cleanup backups" signals this belongs to the cleanup/restore flow, but the description never says when to call it versus tokmeter_restore, tokmeter_cleanup_preview, or tokmeter_cleanup_execute, nor does it name an alternative. An agent must infer the pre-restore discovery role.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.